Telegram from Bayard Rustin—consistent with his brand as a global connector and advocate for labor and civil rights solidarity—informing President Léopold Sédar Senghor of Velma Hill’s visit to Senegal (August 19–September 5, 1979) and requesting an appointment. Hill, Vice President of the American Federation of Teachers, was a notable labor and civil rights leader whose engagement exemplifies Rustin’s commitment to transnational activism and coalition-building.
In the late 1970s, Senegal under President Senghor fostered cultural and political ties with diaspora and global civil rights figures. Velma Hill’s visit illustrates continued collaboration between American labor-civil rights leaders and post-colonial African states, reflecting broader themes of Pan-Africanism and labor solidarity. Rustin’s diplomatic outreach highlights his role in bridging U.S. movements with African political developments.
Bayard Rustin, Telegram to President Léopold Sédar Senghor, August 17, 1979, accessed via U.S. National Archives, https://aad.archives.gov/aad/createpdf?rid=33811&dt=2776&dl=2169.
